


Iron Rings That Bind

by BasicallyAnIdiot



Series: What Have I Done? [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters: Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire | Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Versions, Pocket Monsters: Ruby & Sapphire & Emerald | Pokemon Ruby Sapphire Emerald Versions
Genre: A touch of lemon, Because this year has been brutal, F/M, Happy Ending, He is very pleased, SameAge!AU, Sex, Steven's divorce came through, Vanilla though, a touch of angst, duh - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:48:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27291448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BasicallyAnIdiot/pseuds/BasicallyAnIdiot
Summary: She had run. Run all the way to Galar to breathe and reconcile what an idiot she had been. He had gotten a divorce and a new life.Somehow, they'd learn how to make it work.(Sequel to 'Gold to Rust')
Relationships: Haruka | May/Tsuwabuki Daigo | Steven Stone
Series: What Have I Done? [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1992637
Comments: 10
Kudos: 41





	Iron Rings That Bind

**Author's Note:**

> For the lovely Anon on Tumblr who wanted to see an happy ending in this year of 2020. Takes place a couple of years after Gold to Rust.

**Iron Rings That Bind**

The wall of windows was, without a doubt, May’s favourite feature of Steven’s new home. Nearly two stories tall, not a smudge to be seen on any of the glass panes, it offered a view of the rocky cliffs of Mossdeep. Outside a storm brewed, one she had raced to beat from Lilycove. Dark clouds rolled towards the island; off in the distance periodic flashes of light promised a show when it finally touched land.

If it had been acceptable, if she knew where she stood, she’d draw her feet up under her, grab the decorative blanket thrown over the back of the couch to wrap herself up to watch the storm with a cup of coffee. It was a comfy couch, and she suspected it was an expensive one when each shift brought a whiff of leather with it. The blanket itself looked fancy in its weave and very soft, though she hadn’t dared to do anything more than briefly run her fingers over it during the short tour. The colours worked together, muted, cool pastels that someone had put thought into.

Beside her in a matching armchair, Steven had brought his foot across his knee as he sipped from an espresso cup. Like her visiting was an everyday occurrence. It had been stilted, brief conversations, little updates over video calls that never touched below the surface, since the last time they had really spoken in person over two years ago: when she flat out shouted at him to get his life together right before heading to the airport for the last flight to the Galar region. Leaving him with a mess she created.

He seemed more at ease this time around, content in his home and with her presence there. The bags under his eyes had faded and the angles of his face no longer seemed as gaunt. Happier too- smiling without provocation when he had answered the door. His team was scattered about the house, content to ignore both of them. Metagross, however, claimed the spot beside the armchair and closest to the window. It dozed on one of the largest pillows she had ever seen.

Perhaps, May mused to herself, she had been closer than she thought when she wondered if his marriage had been killing him. The divorce had been explosive, enough so that she heard about it in Galar. He had been aptly named she figured, to weather such a media storm without flinching. To still be able to smile that heart breaker of a smile after.

Get his life together she had told him, then they could revisit the conversation.

“It’s a nice place.” She finally managed when the silence stretched.

Steven blinked his eyes open, like he had forgotten she was there. His lips twitched into an easy smile. “You think so? I find it a little big.”

It was big- too big for one person. She had counted at least four bedrooms, two offices and a rec room in addition to the sitting area they were occupying. Of course, Steven had turned one of the offices into a mini-museum for part of his mineral collection while the rest were displayed on various shelves and tables around the house. And the bedrooms, other than the master bedroom, were clearly adapted for his team. It was very him. May shrugged, “If it works for you, then what does it matter?”

“Touche.”

The conversation lapsed. May took a sip of her coffee. The question nagging at the back of her mind persisted. She regarded him again, seeing the proper, if relaxed, posture and the healthy tinge of colour to his skin. So far removed from her memories of a man strung so tight she thought he’d snap. “How are you doing? Honestly?”

“Better. Much, much better since the divorce was finalized.” Steven set his cup down on the side table. His smile dropped as he watched her. “This last year has been… freeing. I hadn’t realized how much I missed having my own space. To be able to do as I pleased. Having it back- well, I’m just glad to have it back.”

May smiled, relieved. “That’s- really, really good to hear, Steven. I’m glad you found what you wanted.”

“Oh. I’m still searching for that.”

She blinked at the serenity in the statement, “Huh?”

“I already know what I want.” Steven clarified, calm and collected in a way she hadn’t seen in years. Content. Confident, even. More like the young man she faced at the league all those years ago. “The question is if it is still possible to have it. So, I’m searching.”

He was ridiculous. A perfectly ridiculous man. Like he couldn’t find whatever it was he wanted, ha! Steven was as hard headed as any of his steel Pokemon when he really set his mind to something. May shook her head with a smile and had more of her coffee. “Oh? And what is it you want? What is it that you think might be beyond you?”

To her surprise, he went quiet. Steven tilted his head, eyes cast down toward his hand on the arm of the chair. The left hand. One ring, a gold one she had only seen once or twice and never matched his other rings, was missing. “Would you consider it odd for a man with a failed marriage to want to try again?”

“Try what again?”

He closed his eyes and sighed, “When Tiffany said she was pregnant, even though I knew it couldn’t have been mine… part of me wanted it to be. I guess I’m just looking for all of that. Marriage. Family. Kids. Finding someone who wants the same things from life. Sharing that life with them. Growing old with them.”

May considered it, wrapping both hands around her coffee mug, weighing her answer before she spoke in a rare moment of restraint. This felt… delicate. She wasn’t good with delicate. “No, I wouldn’t. I mean, if you stopped training after the first time you lost a battle, would you have ever made it to the Championship?”

“This is a little more complicated than battling, May.” Steven huffed with a laugh.

“That’s only because you’re good with battling.” After a second, she winced. Bad. She was bad with words. Staring at her coffee didn’t present any answers. “Not that you’re not good with relationships. What I mean is that battling comes naturally to you, you don’t have to work as hard to get it. While relationships take time and effort and commitment to make work and both people have to want it to work.

“Your previous marriage was an arranged one. Neither of you had other options open, not without some serious repercussions. It just… didn’t work. Doesn’t mean you have to give up on the idea.”

Steven was watching her again, expression hooded. “I cheated on her.”

All the thoughts that filled her head over long nights watching snow fly over Circhester reared its ugly head. A monster in the pit of her stomach and back of her mind. All the attempts to justify what she had done- what she had been. When what she had been was two legs spread wide. She swallowed. “I know.”

He gripped the armchair for a moment, then relaxed. Quietly, he added. “It is not a slight against you, May. Just an observation about my previous behaviour. I can hardly blame someone for being hesitant for seeking a relationship with me with that in my history.”

She could have argued. It would be easier to argue. That his wife had been doing the exact same thing. That May had just been a distraction from the parts of his life that he hated. That he hadn’t been happy in years when _they_ had started. That this conversation was exhausting. “I think you just need to recall how that all started. It wasn’t you who took the first step.”

“Perhaps. But I took every step after that, kept pursuing you, finding excuses to be in the same town as you. You were right to leave Hoenn. We needed space. I needed to take time and sort out what I wanted. If you hadn’t left, I would have clung to you. We would have been stuck where we were.”

Steven swallowed, Adam’s apple bobbing with the motion, “It wasn’t right, and it wasn’t fair to anyone, but I would be lying if I said I regretted it.” He shook his head, “No, that’s not right either. My regret now was doing things out of order.”

May took a shaky breath, keeping every cruel word she had ever called herself locked up tight. “I don’t understand what you mean by that.”

“I mean,” His hands clenched again, “The divorce should have happened first. Then-” He inhaled sharply, a pained little laugh. “I’ve thought about how I would say this a thousand times and when it finally comes time, the words won’t come out.”

She was fidgeting with the mug, fingers gripping it tightly then relaxing. Her breathing kept level only by a sheer force of will. Battling was easier. May knew what to do in a battle, had every strategy prepared, could anticipate her opponent’s moves and reactions: There was nothing for her to do here. Just listen. Talking would draw his attention back to her, break the silence she wasn’t sure she wanted broken.

Steven took his time gathering his thoughts. He straightened in his seat, setting his leg on the floor, and regarding her with an intensity that caught the air in her lungs. “I’m sorry. For doing that to you. You were my lifeline and I should have seen that sooner. What I want- what I hope for, is a chance to do it properly. I don’t deserve it- but I’m learning how to be selfish and asking anyway.”

Things were tangled in her throat, lodged there and cutting off her air. She couldn’t breathe- May coughed, trying to find her voice, watery as it was. “I don’t-”

He moved slowly. Rising out of the chair. Moving delicately around her legs. Sitting beside her on the couch, close enough the clean smell of his cologne danced on the edge of every inhale. The way he gently took the mug from her white-knuckled grip and set it down on the coffee table. “Am I pushing too hard?”

The rapidness of her response surprised her. “No. No.” May straightened her back, braced for whatever came next even as her hands clasped together on her lap. She wanted that mug back. “It’s just- not what I expected when you asked if I wanted a coffee.”

She wasn’t sure if she understood what he was saying. He couldn’t possibly- there was no way- she had been _convenient._ Maybe she had felt things, but that had been on her side. It wasn’t reciprocated. Even if those feelings lingered. She had been an outlet, a side piece, nothing more. Then she left for two years to complete a contract for Professor Magnolia in Galar, for a comparison study between mega-evolution and dynamax, left him behind and threw herself into assisting the Professor. Did everything she could to forget what an idiot she had been, even getting Sonia to introduce her to the Galar Champion the rare times Leon had swung through town.

A hand, warm and calloused, rested on the top of her wringing hands, stilling her. “I’d like to go through the rest of my life with you, or at least try. If you are willing to give me a second chance.”

Breathing. May was supposed to be breathing. She needed to do that. Even as the wish she had held so deep in her heart it cut seemed to come together at last. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. Her voice could have cut steel as she met his gaze squarely. “Steven Stone. Are you sure you know what you are doing?”

He didn’t flinch, expression set, as his hand squeezed hers. “I’m very sure. I want to do this proper. No mistakes this time.”

By the Legendaries- why did he have to be so pretty? This close, leaning into each other, May could see the individual eyelashes. The slow blinks. The silvery stray hair brushing into pale blue eyes. A handsome face time had been kind to- everything she had wanted. Someone she had respected, and more, for years. He was too close-

May leaned into him, invading the space between them. Brushing noses as she kissed him, a quick peck, too short and little to be anything else. Air returned in a rush as she pulled back.

She didn’t get far. A hand slipped up the back of her head, tangling in her hair, and pulled her in for another kiss, harder than the last. Cologne overwhelmed her and she tasted espresso as her mouth parted for a tongue.

He was just as good a kisser as she remembered.

The kiss didn’t stop. May pressed forward. Her hands roamed, fingers tracing the seams of Steven’s dress shirt. Down to trim hips and leather belt, up again to broad shoulders. He moved with her, hands drifting to her sides and gently pulling her closer.

With a sudden tug, he had her half in his lap. May didn’t notice much beyond the haze slowly setting in and the need to adjust her legs so her knees pressed into the couch on either side, pinning him in place. Steven made no attempt to go anywhere. He shifted his hands down to her hips and kept a loose grip.

The kiss deepened. Harder, leaving her lips swollen and bruised as blood pounded in her ears. Blunt fingernails pressed into the denim of her jeans. Steven leaned back, breathing hard, eyes half-lidded and stormy as he looked up at her. “I’m hoping that’s a yes.”

May let out a frustrated growl and turned her attention to the smooth line of his neck, littering sucking kisses with a hint of teeth. She traced her way up his jawline, inhaling the scent of his cologne. He tilted his head, giving her more area to kiss and lick as she continued leaving attention to the exposed neck. Only when the skin had reddened did May nip at the shell of his ear. “You have like five degrees: you figure it out.”

“Three.” Steven’s voice dropped in pitch as one of her hands fidgeted with the topmost button of his shirt. Her other hand drifted lower. “Only three degrees.” He gasped when her hand tugged his shirt out of his pants. “Nowhere near enough to prepare me for you.”

She shifted on his lap. Pleased to see a tent in his pants. A fire set low in her stomach warmed her blood. He was going to ruin her. Already had. Years ago. The bar that she had used against all the rest and found them wanting.

“Less talking.” May popped the button at the top of his dress shirt, disappointed to find another thinner shirt underneath. Layers. Stupid practical fashion.

He took her at her word, and she nearly jumped at the hand slipping under her shirt. Cool metal of his rings nipped as Steven’s fingers ran along her spine, finding each and every bump. Leaning forward, kissing her squarely on the lips as he did, Steven kept his grip on her ass and back as he stood up suddenly. Instinctively, May hooked her ankles and squeezed with her thighs.

Fuck. She always forgot how strong he was. Or what it did to her.

Steven didn’t hesitate to carry her up the stairs, kissing her fiercely as he did. Pressing her against the wall, lifting a leg up to support her while he fumbled with opening the bedroom door. With a growl, he pulled back from kissing her senseless and completed the task. Then she was being moved again, kissed hard as the bulge of a cock pressed into her core with each step. Rubbing in a way that set the heat in her stomach to a pleasurable simmer.

May vaguely remembered seeing the bed on the tour earlier. Pressed sheets, neatly folded in the corners with ample amount of pillows. A dark duvet and a monochrome colour scheme. Steven kept her hoisted against him with one hand as he threw the sheets back. She was set down with far more care, placed gently on her back with scorching kisses on abused lips. Steven moved his attention down the curve of her throat, fire trailing him.

Her hands were clumsy as May fought with his belt buckle. Only succeeding when she paused to look at the task, catching sight of the end prize as she undid his pants. On her way back she popped every shirt button as she reached them.

Steven got the hint. He leaned back and shrugged off the dress shirt. The tee-shirt came off just as swift. May swallowed hard. Steven always looked slim in his suits, hiding the lean, whipcord muscles of his arms and a smooth, trim torso. Healthy, alive. Hers. For a while- until he realized he could do far better than her and her baggage. She hoped that day didn’t come soon.

Fingers played with the hem of her shirt, guiding it up and off of her. Goosebumps pebbled her skin as the cool air nipped and warm hands, artist’s hands, slipped between her and the bed, fidgeting with the clasp of her bra and pulling it away from her.

May’s thoughts turned to fuzz as Steven bent over and gently sucked on a perk nipple. A talented tongue licked it all over, leaving it sensitive to the air. She arched in him, moaning softly. Pulling back with a soft ‘pop’, stormy eyes intent, lips swollen, Steven mused, “Beautiful.”

He was too together for her liking. Not when she was a mess of wild hair and panting moans under talented hands. May hooked her legs over his hips and arched her core against the bulge of his pants. Steven hissed sharply, eyes darkening. He went for her pants next, taking off the jeans, panties and all. Rearranging her up closer to the middle of the bed, dropping his pants in a hurry, that calm facade of his finally slipped when his skin-tight pants caught on an ankle.

Another time, she’d draw it out. Make him beg. This time, she grabbed him by the back of his head, pulled him up onto her with a fierce kiss and arched against him, feeling the wet of his cock on her stomach. He made a strangled sound, “Shit-“

“Come on, Steven,” she nipped at his throat, “it’s been a few years, but surely you remember how I like it.”

“You are a menace.” He accused with a sucking kiss below her ear, hand roaming over to his side table and scrambling for something. The heat in the pit of her stomach had spread everywhere, sparking with each movement. Steven slathered lube and rolled on a condom one handed m. Adjusting, he nudged at her entrance, head of his cock parting the folds. Slow, steady in a way she didn’t want.

May arched sharply onto it, taking as much of his cock into her as she could with the motion. Steven hissed in surprise, groaning softly. “May-!”

Tight. It felt tight. And full. Complete in a way she had been missing. Deep, but not deep enough. Steven moved his grip to her hips, lifting her up, kneeling on the bed, and pushed in. Then he did it again. Slow on the draw but fast and hard on thrust. Deeper, and deeper with each thrust as the world faded to harsh breathing, and low moans. Heat bubbled in her blood, building her up. Cologne, musk, and something masculine she always associated with Steven but could never pinpoint what crowded her senses. They shifted, moving together and changing to a position that hit everything _just_ right and left her gasping. “ _Fuck_ Steven- there- please-”

He bent over her, lowering her down to the bed, kissing the side of her neck with his teeth. Marking her in a way that would have broken their rules of years ago. Her grip on his hair tightened. Then she dragged her nails down his back, scraping against skin, not sure where to put her hands as the pleasure built.

Steven never slowed his pace. Even as May arched under him and the heat in her blood spiraled. As the world sparked and caught fire, and fell away from her. Stealing her breath with it. The pace turned erratic, then stilled with one last thrust. Broad shoulders hunched and shuddered. A warm hand grasped for hers and squeezed it tight.

Harsh breathing echoed in the room; May’s chest heaved with the effort of trying to reclaim her breath. Vaguely, distantly she was aware of Steven shifting, adjusting, each movement sending lightning up her veins. She gasped quietly. He let go of her hand and, feather light, brushed hair away from her face. May blinked open her eyes. With flushed cheeks and ruffled hair, Steven regarded her with a smile and gently bumped foreheads with her. “Beautiful.”

“Huh?”

“You.” He clarified after a moment, pecking the side of her mouth. May hummed, still drifting. With a groan, he pulled out. He kissed her again, murmuring softly against her skin, “Shower?”

She blinked owlishly at him, “That would be nice.”

Steven carried her there, as if to prove that he could. Pressed her back against cold tiles in a shower stall bigger than her bathroom and kissed her senseless under a hot stream of water. After, they used fluffy white towels to carefully dab the wet off each other. May stole the opportunity to thoroughly ruffle Steven’s hair with a towel, keeping the memory of his bemused smile peering out from under a warmed towel close. The sight was something she wanted to remember no matter how everything played out.

The sheets had cooled by the time she fell back into the bed, sore and content and dozy. Arms wrapped around her, pulling her close to a warm chest as sheets and a thick duvet covered them both. She burrowed under the blankets and drifted off with a soft press of lips to her temple.

~*~*~*~

May woke with a start, the echo of thunder lingering in the house. A soft groan beside her had her freezing. Slowly rolling over, she blinked.

Steven was still there. Still asleep. Close enough she could just shuffle over a hair and be right against the curve of his body. Hadn’t left. Wouldn’t leave- it was his house. Of course he wouldn’t leave.

Did that mean she should?

It had been another rule- no overnights. Nothing that would make their actions even more suspect. It had been a miracle that they had never gotten caught before. But now… Steven was divorced. Had been for years. Surely it wasn’t unreasonable for her to spend the night? Wouldn’t cause a problem for her just to stay there, under the blankets, warm and content, waiting for the storm to pass. Wait for him to kick her out in the morning. Convenient. She was only ever convenient.

“Stop it.” It was a mumble, slowed by sleep. May blinked,and regarded her bed partner. She hummed at him. Steven regarded her in turn with a lazy gaze, eyes half-lidded. “Whatever you are thinking, it’s making you sad. Stop it.”

“What do you mean?”

He groaned softly, reaching an arm out and tugging her closer. May went with it, pressing into the radiant warmth. Sleepily, Steven kissed her forehead. “Don’t run.”

“What?” The grip around her waist tightened, caging her in.

“Don’t run.” He repeated in a slow murmur. “Don’t go back to Galar. Talk in the morning. Promise.”

For a night then. May relaxed into the embrace. Watched as flashes lit up the room and illuminated a sculpted face. His arm was heavy over her waist. Her sleep was dreamless this time.

~*~*~*~

The next time May awoke, she was alone. Sort of. An Aron had crawled on the bed and curled up on the vacant pillow beside her, snoring softly. She snorted at the sight. Try as she might, she couldn’t bring herself to be surprised. It dozed on as she sat up.

A bathrobe, even fluffier than the towels from the day before, had been draped on the chair beside the bedside table. May hesitated, but the cool air nipped as she stood and she grabbed the robe and put it on. Steven’s cologne lingered on it and she inhaled against the collar deeply. Tying the sash, she searched around the room for her clothes but only found a pair of slippers on her side of the bed. What the hell had Steven done with her clothes?

She moved slowly to the ajar door. It swung inward with a gentle pull and a view of a stormy grey morning greeted her. Rain fell in a drizzle against the wall of windows. White caps on the seas and the occasional howl of wind suggested the storm hadn’t fully passed yet. Her stomach rumbled as the smell of something cooking crossed her nose.

Brushing her hair into place as much as possible, May made her way down the stairs. At the kitchen, behind the large marble island with the gas range and oven, Steven had his phone to his ear. He nodded along, writing something down on a pad of paper beside the range. The seriousness of his expression dropped when he saw her as he brightened immediately. “I’ll call you back.” Without waiting for a response, he hit a button and tossed the phone onto the counter. “Good morning.”

His smile did something to her insides, twisting them up. Kind. He had always been too generous for his own good. Had difficulty telling people no at times. May gave a half-hearted smile back. “Morning.”

“I hope you are hungry. The muffins will be ready soon. Coffee?”

She moved to a bar stool across the island and slid onto it, watching him putter in the kitchen area. May wasn’t sure if she was disappointed or relieved that he had put on sleeping pants under the open black silk robe he wore, leaving his chest bare. “Sure?”

Steven pulled down a mug, and turned on a machine she was sure she had seen at cafes before. “Did you sleep well?”

May started. “Yeah. Thanks.” A mug of fresh coffee landed in front of her, black, and Steven hesitated a moment at the corner before gripping her hand gently. Lifting it up and kissing the back of it before May could say anything and retreated to the oven as a timer went off.

She wrapped her hands around the mug and blinked, not sure what was going on. Had he just…? A flush stole across her cheeks that May hid with a sip of coffee. It was delicious, rich and bitter, and she hummed in appreciation. A small plate slid in front of her, steam wafted off the fresh muffin and her stomach rumbled. Steven arranged himself on the stool beside her.

It was… comfortable. Eating together. Coffee slowly waking her up as the rain pounded with the wind against the glass behind them.

After the second muffin, coffee mug half-empty, May pushed the plate away with a contented sigh. “What did you do with my clothes, anyway?”

“In the laundry. Should be done soon.” Steven sipped from a tiny cup, his own plate empty. “I hope you don’t mind my being so forward.”

“No. Not at all. Just wondered where they went.”

“I hope the bathrobe is sufficient. It was the warmest one I could find.”

She played with the soft fibers of the sleeve. “It’s very cozy.”

“You look good in it.” He smiled wryly, “I owe you an apology.”

Here it came. May clenched her mug and inhaled deeply. Convenient. She was convenient. But her convenience ended when attached to a morning-after. Whatever he had said yesterday- it was tinged. Tinged by their past history. There had been no morning-afters before this. For good reasons.

“I promised to do this proper, and I’ve already messed it up.”

The muffin, soft and sweet as it had been, settled funny in her stomach. May stared into the inky blackness of her coffee, “If you want me to leave, I’m going to need my clothes back.”

Steven made a soft wounded sound beside her. Like she had punched him. “You can’t possibly think I want that. May.”

Her voice was steady. “I don’t know what to think. We’ve broken just about every rule we had.”

“I messed this up. We shouldn't have gone so far last night.” He repeated. “The rules don’t apply, May. Not… not unless you want them to. You may not want us to be public. My history is my history. I understand that.

“But I meant what I said when I told you I wanted to try again. That I hope you’re my future. Please don’t run. Not this time.”

May took a breath and looked at him. He wasn’t smiling now. Just watching her the way someone watched a wounded Pokemon. “You can’t possibly want me that way. I was- I was a distraction.”

“You were a lifeline.” A strong hand settled on hers, pulling it away from the mug. “And I’ve been in love with you for years, even when I shouldn’t have been. I want to wake up beside you every day I can. Take you to all the places I’ve wanted to show you.” He growled in frustration, squeezing her hand tight. “How can I prove that to you?”

Steven’s face brightened suddenly. “I know. I’ll burn your clothes.”

May sputtered in shock. “W-what?”

“You have no idea where the laundry room is. And you won’t be able to leave this house without clothes. You’ll be forced to stay forever. Perfect.”

She coughed. Some bubbled up her throat, spilling out as a hiccuped laugh. “You can’t be serious. You know that wouldn’t stop me. I’d just steal some of your clothes.”

A strange expression crossed Steven’s face. “I’m not opposed to that idea.”

Heat crossed her cheeks at the tone. “Steven!”

His smile returned, boyish and mischievous, “May.”

“Ugh- Stop that.”

Steven leaned closer to her, arm brushing hers, “Stop what?”

“Using that tone!” May shifted in her seat, ears burning. “You ridiculous man.”

He squeezed her hand again. “Give me a chance to be what I should have been. Please.”

“You are talking about marriage and kids and- just, are you sure? That you want that with me? I’m-”

“The most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. Kind, funny and generous. An unmatched trainer who’s bond with her Pokemon is unrivaled.” He lifted her hand up and kissed it, eyes on her face the entire time. “If you let me, I will spend every day of the rest of my life proving it to you.”

Swallowing hard, May hesitantly squeezed back. Warily, hopeful in a way she hadn't allowed herself to be in years, she added. “Okay. Alright. But, if you are serious… you need a bigger yard.”

He blinked, tilting his head. “I do?”

“Yeah. Uh. The Idiot Trio take up a lot of space.”

“Idiot Trio? By that, do you mean the trio of...?”

“Natural disasters given form? Yes, yes I do.” May smiled sweetly. “It’s really just Groudon that needs some land to play. I’ve taught it not to create volcanoes unless I give it permission. Kyogre will be happy in the ocean and Rayquaza just needs a place I can feed it from.”

To his credit, Steven just looked thoughtful. “There’s an island for sale less than a five minute flight from here. Getting building materials to it wouldn’t be difficult. There would be space for Groudon to add a volcano beside it, and a beach we could walk down to. The mountain… we could add a trail to the top. There’s caves too.”

May licked her lips. “Building materials? You mean build a house there?”

“Yes. Together. Big enough for us, our teams,” he paused, “children.”

The word stole her breath. Because motherhood was something she wanted. When she was settled. When she had found someone to spend the long days indoors during the stormy season, who would listen to her rant about different training techniques and understand. Exactly what Steven was offering her.

She already knew she loved him. Had loved him for years in various ways. But this- this was something more. Something beyond hotel rooms and midnight visits. Something permanent. A foundation. Steady. Steven was steady. And he was apparently willing to be that way for her. “Two.”

“Two what?”

“Two children. A boy and a girl. That’s what I want.”

Steven’s smile widened. “Two sounds good. Balanced.”

“More like easier to grab.”

“Hmm. So you agree then?”

“To try? Whatever it is between us?” May regarded him, “Yes. We can try.”

Steven’s shoulders relaxed. “I’m very happy to hear you say that. I hope to meet your expectations.”

“You already do, Steven. You don’t need to try.”

“Hmm. Do you remember the charity tournaments the league hosts to pay for the Centers?”

May groaned. “How could I forget? They were a nightmare to organize.”

Steven laughed, pressing closer, “They were, weren’t they? There’s another one next week. Would you care to join me?”

She side-eyed him, “Battling or watching?”

His smile was just about blinding. “Your preference.”

Oh, she was going to wipe the floor with those competitors. “Sure. That sounds… nice.”

“Good.” His tone dipped lower, to a pitch that made her flush. Even more so than the way Steven crowded into her space, leaning over to whisper in her ear, “Did you know this place has a Jacuzzi? My realtor told me it was big enough to fit two people, but I’d like to test that.”

Oh, May thought to herself as she followed him back up the stairs, she was a goner.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say 'hi' on [ Tumblr!](https://basicallyanidiot.tumblr.com/)


End file.
